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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. suit — clothes
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. can — a tin
  7. spring — of water
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — all right
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. spring — the season
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com